GPRG's Good Governance Program is motivated by a concern about whether the core institutions of democracies can capably address significant problems in the public interest. The program's overarching objective is to improve the conduct of public affairs and management of public resources, enhance democratic governance and increase effective political participation. The program promotes research and dialogue on a range of topics related to democratic functioning, including how democracies can effectively govern in times of political polarization, respond to climate change, and address the political consequences of a changing economy.
Current Research
Democracies around the world are undergoing a painful period. More nations than ever, including established democracies, are experiencing "democratic erosion." Despite these developments, Swedish democracy is still going strong. Our democracy, however, should not be taken for granted. History shows us that regime changes are abrupt and unanticipated. In our research, we problematize representative democracy and whether it is truly democratic. We demonstrate how democracy was initially envisioned as an inclusive system where each member of the demos may participate in discussions. We think that this aspect of democracy is crucial and can be recovered through the implementation of citizen assemblies. To do so, we draw on the experiences of Switzerland, Ireland, Iceland, Belgium, and others while highlighting the distinctive features of Swedish society that must be taken into account throughout implementation.